I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to locking mechanisms and relates particularly to an apparatus which blocks access to the ball receptacle of a trailer hitch to prevent unauthorized use of the trailer.
II. Description of the Prior Art
There are a number of locks made to block access to the ball receptacle of a trailer hitch to prevent unauthorized use of the trailer. In Grant U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,741 a pair of hinged plates each having a channel to receive the side flanges on a trailer hitch are secured together over the receptacle opening by a padlock secured through a right angle projection from each channel. In Longenecker U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,546 a cover member which covers the bottom of the trailer hitch ball receptacle is held in place by securing a padlock through a proper sized opening in front of the receptacle to prevent the removal of the cover.
In Bulle et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,557 a cover is secured over the bottom of a trailer hitch ball receptacle over the flanges of the hitch and held in place by a spring loaded bolt which retracts during the attachment but is held within the ball cavity after attachment by a spring to secure the lock in place. The latch is retracted by a key acting through a cam to remove the lock.
In Longenecker U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,580 a cover which completely encloses the end of a trailer hitch ball receptacle is secured tightly in place by a threaded screw in a cavity which is extended to bear against the top outer portion of the ball receptacle. Access to the screw is denied by a lock mechanism which mates with the cavity and couples with a projection in the cavity. The lock is removed by a key which disengages the lock mechanism to gain access to the screw for removal.
In Geresy U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,969 a first plate member is secured to the flanges on a trailer hitch over the ball receptacle by means of matching U-shaped cross-sections and held in place by a second plate member which is pivotably connected to the first having a curved projection which protrudes through a matching curved hole in the plate into the lower portion of the ball receptacle. A U-shaped projection secured to the bottom projects through a hole in the second plate member. A padlock through the U-shaped projection holds the two plates together with the projection in the ball receptacle preventing removal of the plates which block access to the receptacle and unauthorized use of the trailer.
My present device provides a locking function which is simple to attach merely requiring that the lock be slid over the end of the ball receptacle to attach the lock in place. This attachment automatically positions a spring loaded latch within the connector where it can be secured in this position by a padlock to complete the locking function.